1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a two-rail or three-rail model electric train car with at least one pivotally-mounted coupler and truck assembly to maneuver around curves on a model railroad train track.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
This present invention is intended for use with model electric train cars operating on a two-rail or three-rail continuous track system typical of the layout depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 1,142,150 to Dorrill. Dorrill presents one of the most basic configurations of model railroad track, a simple oval design of a straight and cured track sections. Although much more complicated layout designs can be created, the basic concepts still apply of the train traveling either in a straight line or around a curve.
Unfortunately for many electric model train owners, often there is only a limited area in which to set up a train track layout to operate a model toy train. A standard, small size layout would consist of straight and curved track sections forming an oval with a 30″ or 31″ radius curve. Because of the sharpness of the curve due to the limited space, a problem often reoccurs during train operation especially when the train setup includes train cars of longer lengths such as passenger cars: as the long train car rounds the curve, the truck and coupler assembly will make contact with any train car parts in close proximity to said assembly. In particular, the contact may be with the model train steps or model train skirt, or side panels, of the train car. The contact may cause derailment and damage of the electric model train. Given these restrictions, many model train operators are not able to operate scale size train cars on their layouts and must limit operation to semi-scale train cars which are not as long and have a shorter wheel base than the prototypical, longer scale train cars.
This situation does not present a problem in monorail systems. Because the wheels run on a single middle track, there is no reason for any interference or contact with the train or parts of the train. Several patents related to monorails exist. One such patent is U.S. Pat. No. 5,816,169 by MacKenzie. The patent describes the operation of a monorail system and, also, shows sides or skirts of the train which extend down over the wheels and part of the rail. These parts are commonly added for protection and aesthetic purposes to cover the mechanisms under the monorail train, but, due to the operation on a single track, the sides or skirts do not interfere with the train operation.
This type of contact between the coupler and truck assembly and the train car body is not the only cause for model train derailment. Train manufacturers have implemented several designs to minimize derailment. Most effective are control systems, often remote control systems, that regulate the speed of the train as it rounds a curve. Some have also applied physical features to address this common problem. U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,607 to Kilroy et al. includes a feature in the track design which reduces the train speed at specified locations on the track. In U.S. Pat. No. 1,564,337 to Fischbach, the objective is to provide a guard rail attached to the track in order to prevent derailment. U.S. Pat. No. 4,274,337 to Shaw discloses a locomotive with two sets of driving wheels which operate independently from each other in order to provide improved operation of the locomotive. While these disclosed inventions provide solutions to the problem of derailment, none would prevent the derailment caused by contact between the truck and coupler assembly and part of the train car itself.
It may be useful to examine briefly the basic common type of coupler and truck assembly used on electric toy trains to aid in understanding of how the coupler and truck assembly operate and are affected by any close proximity of any of the parts of the train body itself. Both U.S. Pat. No. 1,542,139 to Ives and U.S. Pat. No. 2,133,530 to Beutlich present the basic common electric model train truck design. Each truck assembly consists of a frame, two axles each with two wheels, a bolster positioned between the two axles, and some type of connection feature in the middle of the bolster to connect the truck assembly to the model train car. Both inventions also reveal another common practice among train manufacturers which is to add detail to the outside side frame so that the outward appearance of the model toy train truck is similar to the appearance of full-size train trucks. The most crucial elements of these and similar designs to the application of this present invention is that the truck assemblies are pivotally or swively mounted to the train car body and the trucks operate in a lateral, horizontal fashion.
Many inventors have chosen to attach, by any of various means, the coupling assembly to the truck assembly. Although it is possible to attach the coupler mechanisms to the model train body itself, toy train manufacturers have discovered through years of research and testing that combining the coupler and truck assemblies is very effective for model electric train operation. The two basic elements of the coupler assembly consists of a coupler arm, attached to the truck assembly, which extends out an appropriate length from the truck assembly to the front or rear of the train car and the coupling mechanism. The present invention is capable of being used with all types of coupler and truck assemblies. Thus, this present invention is not limited to a particular design of coupling mechanism, but can be utilized with any of numerous types of coupler and truck assemblies. U.S. Pat. No. 3,608,237 to Richter reveals an important benefit of joining the coupler assembly to the truck assembly. It discloses that this feature allows model train cars to couple and uncouple on curved sections of track as well as straight sections of track. U.S. Pat. No. 2,872,061 to Dunbar displays a good illustration in its FIG. 1 of two typical train cars, situated on model railroad track, coupled together. In addition, FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a pair of coupled truck and coupler assemblies situated on model railroad train track. Although, Richter and Dunbar present their own unique features, both patents describe the basic elements of a typical model toy train truck and coupler assembly.